What’s in my daily makeup bag? The £168 face

As a makeup artist, the contents of my daily makeup bag are ever changing as I fall in love with different products on a somewhat weekly basis! But I have a few staple products that I just love too much to switch out and that are pretty much permanent features in my makeup bag.

For my every day makeup, I love something that’s quick (ahem, fairly) and something that looks polished. I also want something that will last the day and look fresh from my first appointment in the morning, right through to my last in the evening.

Vichy Dermablend Corrective Fluid Foundation
This is a firm favourite of mine and came in especially handy when I was really suffering with acne. It covers everything with minimal effort and doesn’t feel thick or heavy on the face. It’s also non-comedogenic so it won’t clog pores and contribute to more breakouts. I use the colour Opal. I find that applying this with a damp sponge is key – my favourite for this foundation is the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
This drugstore concealer packs a real punch and really does offer lasting perfection! It’s my favourite concealer that I’ve ever used in the whole wide world and I go through loads of these both in my personal makeup bag and in my professional kit too. I use the colour Fair.

Ben Nye Neutral Set
This miracle product is intended for heavy duty use – it’s perfect for stage and film performers as it controls perspiration throughout the day and is completely translucent so doesn’t distort any colour that’s applied underneath it. It’s an oily-skinned girls dream and works perfectly. I ‘bake’ this onto my skin using my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge to place it onto my face, then dust away a few minutes later with my Sigma brush.

The Balm Bahama Mama Bronzer
I LOVE this product to death! I picked it up on impulse and hoped it wouldn’t be too dark for my fair (lighter than NC15) skin, and it was an absolute dream! Easy to build up, not so pigmented that it applies too heavily and just the right hue for contour or bronzer for my skin tone. Also, look at the packaging…what’s not to love! I also use this on my eyes as a multi-tasking product to define my crease so it cuts down on space in my makeup bag when I travel.

The Balm Mary Lou Manizer
As you might have already guessed by now, The Balm is a company I rather like. Mary Lou is the perfect gorgeously pigmented highlight for pale skinned girls like me. The sheen is beautiful. Not glittery or chunky at all, just that gorgeous ‘wet-look’ glimmer that’s sure to get you noticed all the way from the moon. This highlighter is just an absolute dream and to be honest, I could kick myself for not stocking up on it earlier than I did.

Sleek Blush By 3 Palette in Lace
This palette is gorgeous for a fresh pop of colour. It’s even great as a transition shade for the eyes if you’re feeling a little fresh with your makeup look that day. I tend to use the first two shades – Crochet and Guipure – to add a gorgeous flush of colour to my cheeks. Go steady with this product, it’s highly pigmented so it’s easy to apply too much but don’t worry too much as it’s pretty easy to blend out.

Illamasqua Brow Gel in Glimpse
Brow Gel can sound scary to the novice makeup enthusiast, but believe me, it’s as easy to get a natural looking brow with gel if you so wish. I love a good power brow, and this gel in particular is excellent for creating just that. Easy to work with, smudge-proof and great value for money. You’ll be able to see how far down into my pot I am, and I’m more than happy to report that the formula is just as it was when I first bought it. No cracking or drying out what so ever. I like to apply this with my fine angled brush from Sigma.

Benefit Ready, Set, Brow!
I was introduced to this product when I visited the Good Ship Benefit in London with Lookfantastic and let me tell you, it’s a game changer! If you have slightly unruly brows that tend to shift about during the day, then this will be your bestie. The gel formula is easy to apply with the wand included, and it doesn’t dry down white like some brow gels did back in the day. I know you unruly brow girls will remember this well, I know I certainly do. The gel won’t crack or crust on the brows, but it won’t budge throughout the day either so there’s no worry of any brow disruption. Even on a windy day.

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick in Penelope Pink
This lipstick was inside one of the drawers of my Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar and ever since I first swatched it, it’s been a winner! Just the perfect shade of nudey pink, this lipstick is gorgeous both on it’s own or with a gloss. The creamy formula feels so comfortable on the lips yet doesn’t wear away at the slightest hint of a cappuccino throughout the day. If you love shades like Honey Love or Velvet Teddy from MAC, I think you’ll love this. The packaging is so stylish too so I love having this on display, and using it feels all the more luxurious.

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre Lip Laquer in Sweet Stiletto
When I was younger, I was 100% a glossy-lips kinda girl, as I got older, I switched over to the matte side. After getting this gorgeous lipgloss (I love how Charlotte names it Lip Lustre – so delicious!) in my Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar and swiped it across my lips, I was instantly reminded why I loved gloss so much! I love wearing this shade either on it’s own or over my Penelope Pink lipstick. It’s a beautiful peachy shade and is super pigmented too. It’s got that irresistible shine without being jammy or thick on the lips. Just what I want in my glosses.

Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Lashes Mascara in Black Vinyl
A real bristle brush, amazing length and volume and beautiful packaging. What’s not to love? This mascara isn’t my usual waterproof preference, but when it makes my lashes look so long and full without falsies, I can forgive it and bypass that small detail.

The total cost for my daily face makeup is around £168. Although this sounds pretty steep, when you factor in the cost per wear, it’s a matter of pence per day which I think is pretty good going. These products are all super long lasting on the face, come in great sizes for the price and will also last the test of time.

© This post is copyright of Rachael Divers 2017.